Body side molding attachment

Abstract

A molding assembly in which an elongated plastic molding is anchored to a vehicle door via a central clip and slidably supported by end clips so that thermal expansion and contraction takes place evenly from the midpoint of the molding so that the ends of the molding are always evenly spaced from the front and rear edges of the door. The end clips having flexible straps extending transversely of the sides of the clips and the straps are engageable with abutments on the molding so that the clips can be pre-assembled on the molding.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A molding assembly for attachment to a vehicle body panel having pairs of spaced openings at spaced transverse locations comprising: an elongated plastic reveal molding having a front surface, a rear surface, first means integral with the rear surface which define a pair of spaced channels facing toward each other and a plurality of second means including tapered ramps which are integral with the rear surface, said second means defining spaced pairs of transversely extending abutment surfaces at spaced longitudinal locations along the molding,   a plurality of molding retainer clips each comprising a generally planar body having opposed spaced ends and opposed spaced sides, a pair of spaced openings through said body and flexible strap means extending transversely of each of said sides, said strap means being flexible toward and away from its adjacently located side of said body and toward and away from a plane containing said body of said clip,   said body of said each retainer clip being slidably receivable adjacent its opposed ends within said first means defining said channels on said molding and being slidable along said channels until they are snap fittingly received between a pair of said spaced pairs of said transverse abutment surfaces so that said clips can be preassembled to said molding, said strap means being deflectable toward the plane of said body of said clip as they pass over said ramps as said clip is slid along said channels and then returning to their free state position in which said strap means are disposed between said abutment surfaces, said strap means being biasingly engageable with said abutment surfaces when the clips are preassembled to said molding,   a third means for mounting said molding adjacent its longitudinal midpoint to said panel, said openings in said fastener clips being substantially aligned with a pair of said spaced openings in said panel when said molding is mounted adjacent its midpoint to said panel,   and fastener means insertable through said pairs of openings in said panel from its side opposite said molding and threadably engageable with said clips along their through openings for securing said clips to said panel and for retaining said molding to said panel at locations spaced from its midpoint,   said transverse abutment surfaces on said molding causing said strap means on said fastener clips to deflect so that longitudinal sliding movement of said molding relative to said clips can take place due to thermal expansion and contraction of said molding and with such expansion and contraction taking place evenly from said midpoint of said molding.   
     
     
       2. A molding assembly for attachment to a vehicle body panel having pairs of spaced openings at spaced transverse locations comprising: an elongated plastic reveal molding having a front surface, a rear surface, first means integral with the rear surface which define a pair of spaced channels facing toward each other and a plurality of second means including tapered ramps and end walls of the molding which are integral with the rear surface, certain of said ramps and said end walls and adjacently located ramps of said second means defining spaced pairs of transversely extending abutment surfaces at spaced longitudinal locations along the molding,   a plurality of molding retainer clips each comprising a generally planar body having opposed spaced ends and opposed spaced sides, a pair of spaced openings through said body and flexible strap means integral with and extending transversely of each of said sides, said strap means being flexible toward and away from their adjacently located sides of said body and toward and away from a plane containing said body of said clip,   said body of said each retainer clip being slidably receivable adjacent its opposite ends within said first means defining said channels on said molding and being slidable along said channels until they are snap fittingly received between a pair of said ramps on said molding or a ramp and said end wall of said molding defining said spaced pairs of said transverse abutment surfaces so that said clips can be preassembled to said molding, said strap means being deflectable toward the plane of said body of said clip as they pass over said ramps as said clip is slid along said channels and then returning to their free state position in which said strap means are disposed between said abutment surfaces, said strap means being biasingly engageable with said abutment surfaces when the clips are preassembled to said molding,   a third means for mounting said molding adjacent its longitudinal midpoint to said panel, said openings in said fastener clips being substantially aligned with a pair of said spaced openings in said panel when said clips are preassembled to said molding and said molding is mounted adjacent its midpoint to said panel,   and fastener means insertable through said pairs of openings in said panel from its side opposite said molding and threadably engageable with said clips along their through openings for securing said clips to said panel and for retaining said molding to said panel at locations spaced from its midpoint,   said transverse abutment surfaces on said molding causing said strap means on said fastener clips to deflect so that longitudinal sliding movement of said molding relative to said clips can take place due to thermal expansion and contraction of said molding and with such expansion and contraction taking place evenly from said midpoint of said molding.   
     
     
       3. A molding assembly for attachment to a vehicle body panel having pairs of spaced openings at spaced transverse locations and additional openings comprising: an elongated plastic reveal molding having a front surface, a rear surface, first means integral with the rear surface which define a pair of spaced channels facing toward each other and a plurality of second means including tapered ramps and end walls of the molding which are integral with the rear surface, certain of said ramps and said end walls and adjacently located ramps of said second means together defining spaced pairs of transversely extending abutment surfaces at spaced longitudinal locations along the molding,   a plurality of one piece, plastic molding retainer clips each comprising a generally planar body having opposed spaced ends and opposed spaced sides, first and second openings through said body and spaced a distance apart equal to said spaced openings in said panel, a third opening through said body and flexible strap means extending transversely of each of said sides, said strap means being flexible toward and away from their adjacently located sides of said body and toward and away from a plane containing said body of said clip,   said body of said each retainer clip being slidably receivable adjacent its opposite ends within said first means defining said channels on said molding and being slidable along said channels until they are snap fittingly received between a pair of said ramps on said molding or a ramp and said end wall of said molding defining said spaced pairs of said transverse abutment surfaces so that said clips can be preassembled to said molding, said strap means being deflectable toward the plane of said body of said clip as they pass over said ramps as said clip is slid along said channels and then returning to their free state position in which said strap means are disposed between said abutment surfaces, said strap means being biasingly engageable with said abutment surfaces when the clips are preassembled to said molding,   a third means for mounting said molding adjacent its longitudinal midpoint to said panel, said first and second and third openings in said fastener clips being substantially alignable with said pair of said spaced openings in said panel and said additional openings in said panel, respectively, when said molding is mounted adjacent its midpoint to said panel,   said clip being movable between its adjacently located abutment surfaces in opposition to the biasing force of said strap means by inserting a tool through said third opening in said panel and said third opening in said clip to align said first and second opening in said clip and panel, and fastener means insertable through said first and second openings in said panel from its side opposite said molding and threadably engageable with said clips along their first and second through openings when aligned therewith for securing said clips to said panel and for retaining said molding to said panel at locations spaced from its midpoint,   said transverse abutment surfaces on said molding causing said strap means on said fastener clips to deflect so that longitudinal sliding movement of said molding relative to said clips can take place due to thermal expansion and contraction of said molding and with such expansion and contraction taking place evenly from said midpoint of said molding.   
     
     
       4. A molding assembly, as defined in claim 3, and wherein said flexible strap means have their outermost sides spaced apart when in their normal free state position which is slightly greater than the distance between said adjacently located abutment surfaces. 
     
     
       5. A molding assembly, as defined in claim 3, and wherein said strap means are defined by first and second end sections integral with the side of the clip and which converge toward each other and an intermediate section integral with the first and second sections and which lies in a plane extending parallel to said side of said clip.